The Liverpool team are set for their pre-season tour of Germany, with winger Sadio Mane included to take part as one of the 30-man squad.…
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Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has insisted that he was not directly involved in a deal which saw Romelu Lukaku arrive at Old Trafford this summer.
The Belgium footballer was officially signed earlier in the week after United paid up an initial £75m to pursue his services from Everton.
Lukaku bagged 25 goals in the English top-flight last season, and he would have been named the Golden Boot winner, had Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane not come with a flurry of goals in the final weeks of the campaign.
A reunion between Lukaku and Mourinho had looked far-fetched for the past couple of months, but the Red Devils managed to find a breakthrough in negotiations after executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward sealed the deal with the Merseyside outfit.
“The reason why he was so important and difficult to get is what he did in the Premier League because obviously there are other good strikers in football but the Premier League is a very specific habitat, a different habitat, normally they need some time to adapt and Lukaku plays in Premier League for the last four or five seasons,” Mourinho told reporters.
Even before Portugal’s triumph at last year’s Euros, centre back Jose Fonte had had an impressive season with Southampton as the Saints got the license to treat the rest of the league to a treat of attractive football in the top flight league in England and still manage to stay afloat far away from relegation, above the mid table as they battled Everton for the Europa League spot.
It was, however, his impressive displays for Fernando Santos’ side at the Euros that made big clubs sit up and take a long and hard look at him as he helped marshal the Portuguese defence to the title – in much the same way that Moussa Sissoko’s marauding energy made Pochettino take him from Newcastle United just weeks after the tournament.
Manchester United will have to cough up a sum of around £50m if they are to pursue the signature of Tottenham Hotspur ace Eric Dier this summer.
The England international has integrated well into the Spurs’ squad, which has come close to lifting the Premier League title in recent seasons. Despite the progress, Dier is not entirely satisfied with his stay in north London as he has been often deployed in the backline rather than his preferred central midfield position.
As a result, speculation over his future has intensified in recent weeks with Manchester United emerging as potential contenders to secure his signature this summer, The Telegraph reports. Jose Mourinho is eyeing a long-term successor to Michael Carrick, and the England international has been earmarked at the perfect fit for the role owing to his age and experience. Carrick, 35, is likely to be limited with his first-team opportunities next season, and his successor will get the chance to cement himself as a regular at the centre of the park.
Manchester United have reportedly finalised the long-awaited transfer of defender Victor Lindelof from Portuguese giants Benfica.
The Sweden international will link up with the Red Devils for an undisclosed fee once he undergoes the necessary formalities later in the month. The 22-year-old had been on the United radar since the festive period, but Jose Mourinho was reluctant to push through a deal in January as he felt it would unsettle his current crop of players who had maintained a long unbeaten league streak.
Portuguese outlet Record recently suggested that the deal is near completion and the Europa League holders have reacted to the speculation by making an official announcement regarding the progress, the statement read: “Manchester United is pleased to announce that it has reached agreement with Benfica for the transfer of Victor Lindelof, subject to a medical examination, international clearance and personal terms. A further announcement will be made once the transfer is complete.”
It is like the story of a once respected and revered hunter – the kind you get to read of in folk tales – till he all of a sudden falls off the cliff of his elevated status and even becomes ridiculed for not able to catch a common mouse.
Old age or angry gods are common causes of such misfortune. Either way a living legend dies.
David Moyes might not be as old as our referenced elder nor can we say some resident Everton deities may be angry with him but a careful look at the timeline of the Glaswegian’s managing career offers a tempting urge to point out a pattern of fate between our dear Scot and hunter.
David is a manager who the words “hardworking and dedicated” must have been bestowed upon more than most football managers out there. His achievement at Everton where he stayed put for eleven solid years formed a strong foundation for such adulations.
Unfortunately for him, the credibility of those adjectives became more scrutinized and questioned the moment he put his signature on Manchester United’s appointment letter.
Jose Mourinho says that Manchester United are not focusing on the Premier League games anymore, as they want to win the Europa League.
The club have qualified for the Europa League final after beating Celta de Vigo 2-1 on aggregate. Victory in this competition represents the only opportunity for United to qualify for the Champions League group stages next season. Losses against Arsenal and Tottenham mean that they will not be able to finish in the top four irrespective of the results in the remaining two matches. United suffered a 2-1 defeat at White Hart Lane on Sunday.
Jose Mourinho defended his team by saying that the club’s concentration has shifted from the premier league to the European competition largely due to the lack of players. A number of injury problems has meant that United’s squad is reduced to just 15 top players.
José Mourinho has admitted that he is not sure about striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic remaining at Old Trafford next season. The striker has faced a major injury that will rule him out of 2017.
He is not expected to come back until December of this year. The serious knee injury suffered against Anderlecht has also raised suspicion that the striker may not decide to extend his contract with the club. He has reportedly been offered a new two year contract, but suffering a major injury in the mid-30s has finished the careers of several players.
Even Ibrahimovic has faced little issues over the course of the campaign, the club are thought to be considering the possibility of extending his contract. United have been linked with a number of strikers over the last few months. Andrea Belotti has also joined in this list with the Torino forward reportedly being one of the top targets for the club.
Manchester United seem to have under achieved after such investments last summer, considering built-up expectations when Coach Jose Mourinho took over, but the club is not relenting.
The Premier League side is expected to spend huge sums this summer to restock.
There have been rumours that Real Madrid might come again for David De Gea. If this happens, United have reportedly placed Atletico Madrid keeper Jan Oblak on its shortlist.De Gea came close to leaving Old Trafford in 2015 but for a clerical error that stopped the deal from going through.
Though Mourinho would face intense competition for Oblak – who was rated the best keeper in the La Liga last season after he conceded just 18 goals –,there are rumours that the Slovenian is open to the move if the terms are right.
Jose Mourinho has admitted that he is worried that the club’s home form may end up costing the club a place in the top four of the Premier League.
The Portuguese manager was speaking after the club’s 1-1 draw with Bournemouth during the weekend. It was the seventh draw for United in 14 games at Old Trafford this season. United have traditionally dominated the opposition with it comes to games at Old Trafford. Yet, they have been able to score less than 1.5 goals per game in the home matches. They have conceded almost one goal per game in these games.
More worrying is the fact that United have dropped these points against teams that they have been expected to win. Away form has been substantially better with the club drawing only three in the 12 matches. Despite an unbeaten run that stretches to 17 games, United still find themselves outside the top four. The competition for the Champions League places is as intense as ever, but the weekend witnessed three teams gain a significant advantage – Liverpool, Tottenham, and Manchester City.